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Sidney Kane, Beaver Falls historian, presented a paper entitled "The Chinese Workers in Beaver Falls at the 2nd Annual History Symposium on November 1, 1975. In the course of his research, Mr. Kane discovered the following account, issued as a bulletin of The Chinese Historical Society of America [San Francisco, April 19751. This is a roundabout route, since it was written by another Beaver Falls historian of an earlier day. Mr. Kane's paper, being prepared for publication, supplements and enriches the story of this interesting chapter of Beaver County history. ft will be presented in a future issue of Milestones.--Denver Walton
As their industries extended, the (Harmony) society had to hire many outside people. In 1872, 440 Englishmen from celebrated cutleries in Sheff ield were working in the Economy-owned cutlery. Things were going very well-this was the time to strike for higher wages, so labor troubles arose. Acting as the society's agent, John Reeves brought Chinaman from California and New Orleans to break the strike. When the newcomers arrived, great crowds, many of whom had never seen a Chinaman, appeared at the station. The Chinese seemed a threat, not only to the workers, but also to the saloon keepers, who knew Chinese do not drink.
The arrival of the Chinese posed a problem in the community. A town meeting was held and a delegation went to the society with grievances. The reply came-all cutlery workers were paid each month with the privilege of leaving if dissatisfied. If they would leave the Chinamen unmolested, and permit them to remain peaceful, the strikers would be reinstated with pay, and all profits from the cutlery would be used for the community for seven years. Since the society was satisfied with the management, it would close the plant if this proposal was not accepted. The workers settled.
They were quite a curiosity in the town and (train) excursions were run from Ohio cities and Pittsburgh to see the Chinaman at work, and to visit their living quarters. To convey some idea of the number of visitors in one day about $600.00 worth of goods were sold from the factory sample room. In those days that was a lot of money.
Such was Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania; a town of 2,000 persons into which John Reeves was bringing a party of seventy Chinamen and whose arrival Henry T. Reeves had announced to his son and their pastor, Rev. J. E. Dyer of the Methodist Protestant Church on that Sunday evening in July, 1872.
Among the industries which had sprung up in the growing town after the Harmony Society had revised the plan was the cutlery works of Binns and Mason to manufacture pocket knives which had been first established in 1866 at Rochester, Pennsylvania, but moved to Beaver Falls in 1867. Later in 1867 it became known as the Beaver Falls Cutlery Company and a change in the ownership occurred which made the Harmony Society the principal owner. Henry T. Reeves became the President and Superintendent John Reeves Secretary and Treasurer.
The Cutlery occupied a tract of land bounded on the North by Third Street; on the East by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company's right of way; on the South by Second Street and on the West by Seventh Avenue. The buildings enclosed under roof more than one hundred thousand square feet of available flooring and covered between one and two acres of ground. Six of these buildings were brick and for the most part three stories in height. At times as many as three hundred men were employed. Many of these at first were workmen from the celebrated cutlery factories of Sheffield, England.
Early in 1872 everything seemed most promising for orders were coming in rapidly and every person connected with the factory was sanguine when the men struck for more wages. Concessions were made and the wheels of the factory were set in motion again but only a short time elapsed until there was another shutdown. Strikes and readjustments became frequent and a great deal of trouble and loss of time by the workmen was occasioned by their addiction to drink.
Someone suggested that Chinese workmen be substituted for the white hands who were striking. It was said that the suggestion was made by a minister of the Methodist Protestant Church in Beaver Falls at that time and it may have been the Rev. Dyer. The one making the suggestion had been actively interested in Chinese mission work for years and being familiar with the general characteristics and adaptability of the Chinamen believed that better results would be accomplished toward their Christianization by giving them employment in this country and religious instruction at the same time than were being obtained by our missionaries in their own land. Mr. Joseph W. Knott, who was employed in the office of the cutlery as accountant and bookkeeper during the entire period of the employment of the Chinese and to whom the writer is indebted for much of the information concerning these workmen, is of the opinion that both John Henrici and Henry T. Reeves were imbued with this same idea.
Chinese workmen had been employed successfully in a show factory at North Adams, Massachusetts, it had been learned, so after deliberation it was decided to try the experiment of foreign labor, now a commonplace thing but then an innovation, in Beaver County.
John Reeves set out for California in quest of the yellow men. Such a trip fifty-three years ago was not the pleasure jaunt it is today and required fifteen days. On reaching San Francisco, Mr. Reeves sought a man prominent in Chinese mission work to whom he had been referred. The missionary, a former Pittsburgher whose name was Williams, gave him much assistance in gathering information about the Chinaman as a factory hand and took him to several places where coolie labor had passed beyond the experimental stage. Among these were a large woolen factory and a file works where none but Chinese were employed.
An effort was made to secure a sufficient number of these Chinese workmen to man the factory at Beaver Falls, but they were well contented with conditions in California and were loathe to leave their countrymen and journey so far into the interior of a strange land. It was learned finally that a gang of Chinese laborers, who had been working on the construction of a railroad in Louisiana, had completed the grading at a point some sixty miles above New Orleans and might be induced to travel on toward the East and take up the new industry.
Securing the services of an interpreter, Mr. Reeves went to New Orleans and engaged one hundred of the gang. He was soon homeward bound with seventy of them, having arranged for the coming of the remainder and on Sunday evening, July 1, 1872, they arrived in Beaver Falls and it was to witness this arrival that Henry T. Reeves with his son and Rev. Dyer left the home of Mr. Reeves, now part of the Providence Hospital buildings.
Knowledge that Chinese workmen were to be employed in the cutlery had spread through the community and had greatly incensed the striking workmen who had agitated the workmen in the other shops and mills in the town and all were prepared to oppose the innovation. This feeling of resentment against the Chinese was intensified by the saloon men and liquor dealers who foresaw a decline of patronage in their particular line because the drinking of liquor was not a custom among the Chinese.
Scarcely any one in the town had ever seen a Chinaman so our little party of three were not alone in wending their way toward the station to see the curious specimens of humanity about whom there had been so much talk and agitation and the streets leading from the station to the cutlery were full of workmen vowing vengeance and of others there merely to see.
While the crowd waited its attitude became menacing and caused some anxiety to the local authorities as the whole police force of the town was one constable, James C. Crane. However, the threats to demolish the Chinese in his tracks the moment he set foot in town were like the puffing and blowing of the locomotive bringing them to town and were silenced when the wheels of the train stopped.
As the party of workmen descended from the train and were marched to the factory four blocks away with John Reeves at the head of the column, the throng fell back without a word. The feeling of indignation, however, did not abate and it required the vigilance of the members of the firm to keep some of the strikers and their sympathizers from harming the new workmen and it was necessary to Messrs. Reeves and Judge Henry Hice, counsel for the Harmony Society, to remain at the factory for several weeks. Many of the foremen in the factory left upon the arrival of the Chinaman, among them was Irvin Campbell, foreman of the forge shop, afterwards one of the Commissioners of Allegheny County. Later Mr. Reeves went again and brought more Chinamen and one party of them was brought from Cincinnati, Ohio, by John R. Eaking, father of Mrs. Emma R. Davidson. He was in Cincinnati and received a telegram from John Reeves asking him to bring this party which was on its way north to Beaver Falls. Later, when a candidate for School Director of Beaver Falls, this act was held against him by the opposition. Mr. Knott says there were at one time between two hundred and two hundred twenty-five workmen (400 Chineseby E. M. Wallover records).
The men were taken to the "Mansion House," an old plastercovered stone structure fronting on what is now Seventh Avenue and north of Third Street on land now occupied by Union Drawn Steel Company. It was the first dwelling of any pretensions in Beaver Falls. This had been prepared for their coming as a cook house and dining rooms with sleeping apartments. There had been built in the rear a wooden structure for sleeping quarters. Bedsteads were provided at first but the Chinaman would not use them so stationary berths or bunks were provided in the sleeping apartments on which was a mattress. The pillows were blocks of wood.
The contract to furnish the Chinese labor was made with one Ah Chuck, a San Francisco merchant, and provided that the men were to be paid one dollar per day in gold and that the company was to keep them supplied with rice and provide living quarters.
The Chinese were not employed in the pocket cutlery department, but in the table knife department. From the coolie class as they were, they could learn but one process but that one after a long time they learned to do well. No time was lost because of drunkenness for they never drank anything but tea. Their addiction to opium, however, caused some loss of time, but not so much as the use of liquor occasioned among the white workmen.
While at work they were neatly clad in the costume of their country, wearing stockings the whiteness of which might put many a belle to unconsciously contrasting them with her own-such a newspaper account of the time expresses it-and the satin slippers or shoes which were common to the Chinese and the carefully braided pigtail twisted around the head. This, Mr. Knott says, is hardly accurate as to the stockings. A few did wear the fine white stockings but most of them wore coarse ones.
During the five-year stay of the Chinaman they were peaceable, industrious and order-loving, never known to insult a woman on the streets and courteous to all. Any trouble was caused by the rowdies of the community annoying them, They were afraid of the boys but would sometimes chase them if teased too much, though they were unable to catch them. A favorite form of annoying the Chinese was to push them from the planks that formed the street crossings into the mud when they would walk around the town which they did occasionally, though for the most part they stayed to their quarters and in seclusion.
Ah Chuck was here only at intervals but left an interpreter with the men who was responsible to the company for the conduct of his men as also to his government for the safe return of their bones to their native country should they die while away from home. A tea store across Seventh Avenue from the Mansion House was maintained which was run by the interpreter at which was sold their articles of clothing, opium, tea and other Chinese delicacies and trinkets. Here also the pay was distributed to the workmen by the interpreter. Lee Ten Poy, commonly known as Ah Poy, a nephew of Ah Chuck, was the first of these interpreters. He spoke English with ease. Later another, Chew On or as sometimes written Chow Hung, came and he brought with him his wife who was the only Chinese woman who came to Beaver Falls. She lived in apartments above the tea store and was rarely, if ever, seen in public. Some of the women of the town called upon her and found her affable and courteous. She appeared to be immaculately clean as to person and apparel and her costume was rich silk heavily embroidered. She wore much jewelry, including rings of stone on her ankles that were adjusted by hinges.
The Chinaman ate in two large rooms, about one hundred in each. Their sleeping quarters were neatly kept and decorated with pots and baskets of growing plants, with pictures and other ornaments.
They adhered closely to their own habits and manner of living. The vessels in which they cooked their food were brought from China. They were large shallow pots of iron probably four feet in diameter and not thicker than a knife blade. A kind of oven was built and into them the immense vessels were set. The dishes were simply brass basins and ladles scoured until they shone. Chopsticks, of course, were used. They did not use bread but made rice a substitute. The rice, Mr. Knott says was purchased by the company two to four barrels at a time.
They were fond of chicken and young pigs and were constant purchasers of these from the merchants and people in the community. Their rice and meat was placed on the table in a large pot from which each helped himself. The meat was served cut into small pieces. The pig was roasted whole. A hole was dug in the ground deep enough so the pig could be hung by his hind legs. A fire was built and when a sufficient amount of hot ashes accumulated, the pig was hung in position and a cover placed over the hole and there the pig remained until roasted. Those who have partaken of the pork roasted in this way say it was a very savory morsel.
At one holiday period, H. T. Reeves and Mr. Knott while at their accustomed duties in the office, hearing a commotion, looked up and saw a party of the Chinese coming in with Crane, the constable, at their head. On two planks borne by two men each were two pigs about one hundred fifty pounds each which had been roasted in the manner just described. The party came into the office and presented these pigs to Mr. Reeves with the compliments of the Chinese cook department, Mr. Reeves was nonplussed for the moment, but told them to take the roast pigs into a room back of the office. After the delegation left, he sent word to the foremen and some of the other men to come in and the pigs were cut up and distributed among them.
The Chinaman were great tea-drinkers, rarely drinking any water. When they went to the factory they took with them baskets in which were earthen pots of the beverage packed in wool which kept it hot for hours. Tea was a favorite gift from these Chinese to their white acquaintances and on their New Year's day, which was observed the first week in February, generally, and on other holidays celebrated in their mother country these quaint and kindly folks would fill baskets of tea and other delicacies from China and go around town visiting the homes of their friends and teachers in the Sunday School and would leave a supply of tea that would last until another holiday came. Many families did not buy a pound of tea while the Chinaman stayed in town.
On their New Year's day, according to their custom, everyone starts with a clean sheet. On one occasion as a result of dissatisfaction among some of the men toward Ah Poy, who they thought was not giving them all of their pay, three of these men, most of whom were strong fellows, attacked him near the foot of the stairs leading from the office. Mr. Reeves and Mr. Knott heard the scuffle and, opening the door to see what it was, saw these men with Ah Poy on the floor on his back. They had him by his long queue, which he always allowed to hang down and wore carefully braided with silk ribbon, and were apparently trying to jerk it out of his head. Crane, the constable, was called and with a crow bar knocked them down. They were carried to their quarters, doped with opium and finally recovered. About two weeks later, Mr. Knott saw Ah Poy with these same men and later mentioned to him that this seemed strange. Ah Poy told him that at New Years it was customary to start a clean sheet and that what had occurred in the past was forgotten.
They were a frugal folk, though they purchased liberally from the merchants who extended them credit the meat delicacies for their table. The majority of them carried silver or gold watches and many possessed diamond rings purchased from local merchants. They laid aside from their earnings a sufficient sum to cover the expense of sending their bones back to China and with the next of their savings as a rule they bought a watch.
Many of them took a lively interest in the entertainments, strawberry festivals and oyster suppers that were important events in the life of the Presbyterian Church at that time. They were also regular patrons of the principal confectionery of the town where ice cream was served, of which they became quite fond and going for "ice cream" became one of their dissipations.
the better people of the town, finding these foreigners to be a harmless and very courteous set of men put forth efforts to establish missions for them in the various Churches. Several pastors and their congregations feared to take a step that was antagonistic to the working men of the community. The Presbyterian Church and its pastor, Dr. Moorhead, despite the prevailing sentiment, decided to open its doors to any of the Chinese who desired to attend an afternoon Sunday school. This was at first held in the main auditorium of the Church.
This first attempt at social settlement work, by reason of the numbers of Chinese who came and the number of instructors required to teach them, soon grew to such an extent that there was not adequate room to give instruction to all who applied for admission....
"At the Centennial in Philadelphia in 1876 was exhibited the largest knife and fork in the world, manufactured by the Beaver Falls Cutlery Company," was the announcement made by that company on a small folder printed for distribution and which went on to say: "This knife is one-third larger than one made in Sheffield last year on the occasion of the Prince of Wales' visit to that place, which was the largest knife made up to that time. (The entire knife was nine feet, seven inches long, and width of the blade ten inches.)
The handles of the knife and fork were of solid ivory, each using an entire elephant's tusks. These handles, far from being plain were beautifully carved with flowers and vines .... The knife and fork were made while the Chinese were at the Cutlery.
There was not much sickness among them and only a few of these Chinaman, about ten, died in Beaver Falls. These were buried in what was known as Bernard Cemetery. The funeral customs were those peculiar to the Chinese and were observed carefully. As soon as a man died, a circle of probably eight feet in diameter was made of soft clay in which Chinese candles were placed at intervals of about two or three feet and kept burning while a species of incense (smoke) constantly ascended. When the body was ready to be removed to the burial ground the friends stationed themselves in front, rear and on either side of the hearse and scattered little bits of red and yellow paper all along the route of the procession, the idea being that an evil spirit was endeavoring to capture the disembodied spirit of the departed and these colored slips of paper were supposed to be money which the evil spirits would stop to pick up, thus preventing their design until the body was interred. Rice and meats were placed in the grave where the body rests for one year and a day and then goes home, meaning to their native country. At the expiration of that time, the remains are disinterred and sent to China, without which there could be no rest hereafter for the dead man.
When the first death occurred the men of the Presbyterian Church who had been active in the work with the Chinese and some others thought he should be given a Christian burial and took up a subscription for a coffin. When Mr. Henrici was approached by the solicitors, he asked them what the coffin would cost and when told about forty dollars replied, "Mr. Rapp's coffin cost eight dollars and mine won't cost any more."
The bones of these Chinaman were later removed and sent back to their native land, carried away from the cemetery in sacks.
Among the colony was a dapper chap know as "Pretty Joe," a "dandy" or "swell" (in the speech of the day) in the matter of clothes. He was superior in intellect and bearing to most of his fellows and was much taken with American women. It was soon apparent that Pretty Joe had a preference for a young girl about seventeen, a niece of one of the leading residents of the town, who did not seem averse to his attentions. Fearing that the affair might become serious, friends of the girl with her family arranged to send her to friends in a remote section of another county, but like other well-laid plans that "gang aft agley" this failed for the Celestial lover appeared there at dawn the day after her arrival. Later, however, a visit of indefinite length to relatives in a western state put an end to the attachment. Pretty Joe left not long after for Philadelphia where he became a merchant.
One known as William drifted in some way to Meadville, Pennsylvania, where he shot a man who had offered him some insult. A number of men from Beaver Falls, including Mr. Knott went to Meadville to testify as character witnesses. William was committed to jail for thirty days. When he left Beaver Falls he was indebted to the store of Forbes and Patterson, then on lower Seventh Avenue. Sometime after his return he came into the store to pay his bill and gave as his reason for not paying sooner:
"No money. Pay all money to big man talk in Church," referring to his attorney.
While here a minister, who had spent some years in China being on a visit to his parents near Erie, was secured by Dr. Moorhead to preach to them in their own tongue. On his arrival, which had been unannounced, he was taken by the pastor to the tea store where three or four of them were sitting about. To their amazement, the stranger addressed them in their own tongue. They dashed out of the place and over to the works to spread the tidings which was so wonderful that the men left their work and rushed over to have speech with the "Melican man talkee allee samee Chinaman." They were at the Church doors awaiting admittance long before the hours of service. They appropriated him for their very own during his stay and on his departure sorrowfully attended him to his train, expressing the while their gratitude and appreciation.
During the employment of the Chinese they and the Cutlery became an object of interest not only to people of the immediate vicinity, but throughout western Pennsylvania and Ohio. These sightseeing bodies apparently did not disturb them for they continued their labors under these curious eyes with the most perfect self-possession.
In 1877, the last of the Chinaman left. About half of them had left from time to time, but the remainder left in a body. Their fare back to San Francisco was paid by the Cutlery company, it being a part of the agreement of hire that their fare be paid to Beaver Falls and back to San Francisco.
So ends the first and only experiment with Mongolian labor in Beaver County. Since then many groups of aliens have come to Beaver Falls, but none have excited as much interest and curiosity and engendered so much hostility as the "heathen Chinee" whom the lad mentioned at the beginning of this sketch went to see detrain that Sunday evening in July, 1872.